Meet Sherry Tate

Is your employee intranet actually working for your team — or is it just taking up space?

Today’s workforce is mobile, distributed, and digitally savvy. They manage their finances, shopping, and social lives through beautifully designed apps — and they expect workplace tools to keep pace.

When an intranet doesn’t, employees steer clear. That’s why clunky, desktop-first platforms are quietly being replaced by modern intranets and employee apps designed for how people actually work in 2026 — not how they used to.

Simply put: Most intranets don’t fail because they’re missing features. They fail because no one actually wants to use them.

A modern intranet needs to be more than a static homepage or a document dumping ground. It’s a living, breathing hub that helps employees do their best work.

It connects people, information, and tools — all in one place. And crucially? It’s designed around how employees actually work now, not how they used to.

So what separates a truly modern intranet from versions that have come before? Meet the eight features you’ll find on any cutting-edge intranet platform.

8 must-have modern intranet features

Whether you’re planning to update an outdated intranet or find a completely new solution, here are the must-have intranet features you need — and why they matter.

1. A mobile-first experience

Let’s start with a non-negotiable. A modern intranet should be mobile-first.

It should be designed for mobile devices as a priority, not retrofitted later as part of a clumsy glow-up. Because shrinking a desktop intranet down to fit a teensy smartphone screen just doesn’t cut it for user experience.

A modern intranet app features:

• Full functionality — not a slimmed-down version of your desktop platform
• Intuitive navigation via a user-friendly dashboard
• Easy access, even for employees without a corporate email address
• A consistent experience across both mobile and desktop

What makes this a modern intranet must-have?

Work doesn’t just happen at a desk. Employees are on shop floors, hospital wards, construction sites, and warehouses. Even desk-based employees are increasingly hybrid, remote, or on the move.

If your company intranet only works well on desktop, you’re excluding a huge chunk of your workforce.

A mobile-first intranet app closes communication gaps, puts resources within easy reach, and creates an equitable digital employee experience for everyone. So it’s easy to check policy updates, swap shifts, and even submit a safety report — all via smartphone and all in the flow of work.

{{mobile-hub="/image"}}

2. A central hub for information

One of the central promises of any intranet is simple: a single source of truth. That means:

• Policies, handbooks, and standard operating procedures all living in one place
• A clear structure and ownership for every piece of content
• Content management tools — so it’s easy for admins to see what needs updating when

What makes this a modern intranet must-have?

Many organizations still have information scattered across Microsoft 365 SharePoint sites, email attachments, shared drives, and unofficial WhatsApp chats.

Employees aren’t sure where to look for resources or, when they do lay their hands on the right document, whether the information it contains is up to date.

A central hub makes information reliable and easy to find. Employees spend less time digging around for documents and resources, so productivity and collaboration improve.

3. Powerful search and discovery

Even the best content is useless if no one can find it. So modern intranets treat search functions as a core feature, not an afterthought.

They provide a fast, intuitive experience — with filters, tags, and clear navigation. They surface the right content, not just the most recent.

What makes this a modern intranet must-have?

Advanced search functionality saves time, reduces queries to managers, and helps employees find the answers they need in seconds. This is particularly useful for busy frontline teams who don’t have time to hunt for the information they need.

{{mobile-chat="/image"}}

4. Built-in communication tools

A modern intranet mobile app goes beyond storage. It acts as a communication hub, bringing together knowledge, company news, and collaboration tools.

We’re talking:

• A social-media-style news feed for company updates and culture building
• Chat tools for quick team messaging
• Live streams and video conferencing for real-time social collaboration
• Employee surveys and polls to give everyone a voice

Employees get two-way communication channels, easy access to workplace updates, and a cohesive intranet experience.  

What makes this a modern intranet must-have?

With fewer tools and tabs, it’s easy for employees to get up to speed. People are also more likely to act on your comms — they can click on a link within a message and head straight to the intranet resources it relates to.

With built-in tools, employee communication becomes more streamlined, effective, and engaging. And your intranet becomes the go-to place for company comms.

{{mobile-story-polls="/image"}}

5. Easy access to other systems

Are there barriers between your intranet and the other digital workplace systems you use? Then you’re adding friction to the work day — and missing out on another essential modern intranet feature.

The best intranets act as a digital front door for your organization. From one simple dashboard and a single set of login details, employees can access all the tools they need to do their work well. No juggling passwords or hopping between tabs.

They can check a payslip in the HR system, complete an online training module, view inventory information — all in a couple of clicks, right from your intranet platform.  

What makes this a modern intranet must-have?

When your intranet acts as a digital hub, providing single sign-on and deep integrations with your existing systems, work flows more smoothly. Employees spend less time navigating tools and more time actually using them.

The payoff is less frustration, fewer support requests, and higher adoption of the software you’ve already invested in.

6. Social and engagement features

Work isn’t just about tasks and to-do lists. It’s about people — and your intranet should reflect that. It needs social features that feel natural and intuitive.

A news feed where employees can react, comment, and start new conversations. Quick-fire polls. Communities of coworkers. Short-form video stories. Public recognition that makes great work visible.

This modern social experience mimics the apps employees love to use away from work. And — done well — it doesn’t add to the noise. With smart targeting and personalization, employees see relevant, engaging content every time they log in.  

What makes this a modern intranet must-have?

Employees want to feel seen, heard, and connected. Social and engagement features give them a shared space to interact — a digital water cooler where people can gather, no matter their location, shift, or time zone.

This is great for building company culture and improving employee engagement. It’s particularly useful for dispersed teams who don’t always get to see their coworkers face to face.

{{mobile-stories="/image"}}

7. Simple administration and governance

Modern should never mean hard to manage. Behind every great intranet experience is a setup that’s easy to run — without constant IT involvement. That means:

• Simple publishing workflows
• Clear permissions and controls
• Easy audience targeting
• Straightforward governance for content creation

What makes this a modern intranet must-have?

When administration is too complex, content delivery slows down. Pages go stale. Updates get stuck in approval loops. Before long, people stop trusting the intranet. And once you’ve lost that trust, it’s very hard to get employees back onto the platform.

The best intranet sites give comms, HR, and operations teams the confidence to manage their piece of the intranet independently. That agility keeps information fresh, accurate, and timely.

8. Analytics that show what’s working

Last on our list of must-have modern intranet features it’s analytics. Because it’s no longer enough to publish content and hope for the best. Internal teams need data that helps them understand:

• Who’s logging in?
• What content is being read?
• Where engagement is high (or low)
• How adoption changes over time

The best employee intranets provide clear, actionable insights. They present data clearly and allow you to drill down into that data to reveal trends and causes.

What makes this a modern intranet must-have?

Employee expectations and needs are liable to change. So, to keep pace, you need to understand the intranet experience inside out.

With access to usage, reach, and engagement data, you can continuously improve your intranet. You can make it more relevant, more engaging, and more valuable over time. So employees consistently get value from the platform and actually enjoy logging in each day.

{{mobile-activation="/image"}}

Making work easy and enjoyable with a modern intranet app

When all the right pieces come together, your intranet becomes an employee magnet. It also makes work a whole lot easier.

Employees don’t waste time hunting for answers or switching between tools. People communicate and work together easily. Culture shows up in everyday moments — not just leadership announcements.

That’s the difference between an intranet people avoid and one they rely on. Between a platform you’re simply paying for and one that actually gets used.

If your intranet still feels like a filing cabinet — or if it’s missing any of the modern intranet features we’ve covered above — it’s time for an upgrade. 

One of the top barriers to business success? According to 1 in 4 professionals surveyed by Gallagher, it’s internal communication channels that aren’t fit for purpose.

Having the right mix of communication channels supports effective internal communication and employee engagement. It helps you build a culture of connection and belonging.

But it’s easy to get it wrong. Usually, problems occur when:

• You have too many communication channels
• You don’t have a communication framework — designating specific channels for different types of content
• You have channels that are inaccessible to certain segments of the workforce
• You don’t ask employees what they want from your internal comms channels

Here, we explore 15 of the most popular and effective internal communication channels for 2025. We also look at the questions you should ask when deciding which channels are best suited to your organization and your internal comms strategy.

Common internal communication channels and why they are not enough

Internal communication channels are the tools, platforms, or methods you use to connect employees to your organization — and each other. These channels support the sharing of information, the amplification of company culture, and the building of coworker connections.

Most organizations use a combination of communication channels to reach their workforce. They may use internal communication software to provide some or all channels — and they tend to use different channels for different types of communication.

For example, a company may use email, a social news feed, in-person meetings, project management software, and survey tools. Each of these channels performs a different internal comms function.

Together, these channels support formal and informal, face-to-face and digital interaction. They also ensure that information moves in all directions across the organization.

Types of internal communication channels

We can categorize internal communication channels by the type of communication they facilitate.

Top-down

Top-down internal communication channels allow leaders to share company updates with employees. You can use these channels to speak to the entire workforce but they’re not as interactive as other options on this list.

Examples: Town hall meetings, intranet announcements, content hub resources

Bottom-up

Bottom-up employee communication channels allow workers to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns with managers and the C-suite. These channels help employees to feel heard and valued — and they’re an essential part of your communication channel mix.

Examples: Employee surveys and polls, leadership Q&A sessions, digital forms

Peer-to-peer

Peer-to-peer internal communication channels are another essential. These channels allow coworkers to communicate with one another and help to create a culture of belonging and collaboration.

Examples: Instant messaging tools, co-worker communities, news feed stories

Questions to ask when choosing internal comms channels for your organization

Most organizations use a mix of comms channels. When devising your internal communication channel strategy — and when assessing the usefulness of the channels we’ve listed below — consider the following questions.

What types of communication channels do we currently use and are they effective?

Before updating your internal channels of communication, assess the effectiveness of your current setup. Consider whether existing tools help you meet communication goals, like fostering engagement or enabling collaboration.

Ask whether each channel has a defined purpose. Is it fulfilling a vital function or is it simply adding to the noise? And consider whether your channels are helping you keep pace with internal communication trends and employee expectations.

What do our employees think of current internal communication channels?

Organizations that ask employees about their communication channel preferences report higher channel effectiveness. So get feedback on the things workers do and don’t like about your current channel mix.

The accessibility of your employee communication channels is another key consideration. Find out whether employees from all parts of the organization — in the office, at home, and in frontline roles — can access your primary communication channels with ease. Language barriers, time zone challenges, shift patterns, and access to tech are all things to think about.

What types of internal communication do we want to share?

Your internal communications should be informative and engaging. So you need varied comms channels that offer real-time updates — and that fit naturally into every employee workflow.

Consider the types of content you want to share — whether mandatory reads, deep-dive resources, social posts, or messages from the leadership team. Then, decide which communication channels you need to deliver each of those content types.

How do we give employees a voice?

Internal communications are more effective and engaging when employees get to contribute. The C-suite gets access to valuable insights that can drive business success. Workers feel valued when it’s clear that leadership is interested in their ideas and concerns.

So determine whether your current channels support two-way communications. If not, you need to add some interactive communication channels into the mix.

How do we prevent channel overload?

Bombarding employees with too many messages across too many channels can lead to information fatigue and channel disengagement. So look for tools that provide multiple channels via one dashboard — and allow you to segment your audience, ensuring only relevant messages reach each employee.

Also, consider the admin experience. To avoid overloading your comms team, channels that provide in-built AI support are useful. You can automate routine internal communication tasks, freeing your team up to focus on more meaningful interactions.

15 internal communication channels to use in 2025

The best internal communication channels to use for your organization include:

• Instant messaging
• Employee surveys
• Content hub
• Internal news feed
• Coworker communities
• Face-to-face meetings
• Project management tools
• Digital forms
• Bulletin board
• Internal videos
• Email
• Recognition platforms
• Video conferencing
• Modern intranet
• Employee app

You probably already use some of these channels to communicate with employees. But you may spot some alternatives that will help streamline and upgrade your internal communications.

Just remember: To avoid overwhelming employees, you should look for tools that bring channels together into one user-friendly, digital interface.

Instant messaging

Instant messaging tools support the real-time sharing of information between teams. Unlike email communication, employees don’t have to wait for a response.

The best solutions allow you to create both one-to-one and group chats. They allow you to share images, gifs, videos, and documents — and launch video meetings straight from a chat thread.

Search functionality is another important consideration. It should be easy for employees to search the messaging tool, finding and referencing older chats and resources.

Employee surveys

{{mobile-survey="/image"}}

‍

Employee surveys are one of the most popular employee listening channels. They provide a ton of data about the employee experience — and they promote a positive company culture by ensuring employees feel valued and listened to.

You get the best results when you go beyond the traditional annual survey, using a mix of quarterly surveys and quick pulse surveys to assess employee sentiment on issues like:

• Employee satisfaction
• Employee engagement
• Your internal communication strategy
• Upcoming organizational changes

You can use supporting communication channels to close the feedback loop. Share your findings with employees and inform them how you plan to act upon the insights you’ve uncovered.

Content hub

{{mobile-main="/image"}}

‍

A content hub is a library of self-serve resources — and another valuable internal communication channel.

A hub contains things like policy documents, FAQs, and training manuals. By making these resources available to employees, you reduce the number of questions directed at managers and your HR team. You also give employees quick and easy access to the information they need.

To ensure this communication channel works effectively, you need to regularly update or archive old content. Employees then know that they can trust the information on your content hub is reliable and relevant.

Internal news feed

A social-media-style news feed is another essential internal communication channel for a modern workforce. A user-friendly news feed is familiar to employees — and with rich, multimedia content and interactivity, it’s an excellent tool for employee engagement.

Your news feed is a place to:

• Promote company culture
• Encourage employee interaction, with the platform and each other
• Share essential information
• Recognize employee achievements

The best tools mirror the experience employees get on social media platforms away from work. Employees can like and comment on posts — and create their own content using features like Stories.

Key features to look for include segmentation and controls. To ensure high levels of engagement, you should be able to personalize the news feed to employee roles, locations, departments, and interests. And admins should be able to fine-tune the experience, limiting posting rights to prevent information overload.   

Coworker communities

In remote and frontline work environments, employees miss out on water cooler moments. So they can end up feeling disconnected from their coworkers. This is leading to an epidemic of loneliness.

Over half of employees feel lonely all or most of the time. And with more than 8 in 10 employees saying a sense of community helps them perform better at work, finding ways to combat that loneliness is key to employee productivity and satisfaction.

Include coworker communities in your communication channel mix and you provide a digital space where employees can come together.

Employees can create coworker groups based on shared interests, hobbies, or work-related topics. They can chat, network, connect, and collaborate, developing a sense of community that improves their workplace experience.  

Face-to-face meetings

Most of the channels of internal communication on this list are digital. But face-to-face meetings are still an important part of any internal comms strategy and can include:

• Manager one-to-ones
• Team and town hall meetings
• Coaching sessions, workshops, and lunch and learns
• Social events

These face-to-face sessions are useful for communicating complex messages and for building better workplace relationships.

However, there are some considerations to bear in mind. Face-to-face meetings aren’t always the most inclusive option if you have employees working in different locations across different shift patterns.

If you have frontline employees, you may like to limit the number of face-to-face meetings you schedule — or vary dates and times. You can also record meetings. Then post a video to your intranet or employee app, so everyone can access the information shared.

Project management tools 

Many desk-based teams are using project management software as a communication channel. This brings project management tools and team chat into a single location and helps teams to plan, organize, and execute projects efficiently, even when they’re working remotely.

While useful for project teams, these tools don’t have the full range of features you need for effective internal communication. So they’re best used as part of a more comprehensive communication tool, either built-in or as an integration.

Digital forms

Digital forms reduce your reliance on paper processes. They’re an easy way for employees to communicate with managers and the HR team, without having to send an email or schedule a meeting. As such, they’re another incredibly useful internal communication channel.

You can create digital forms relating to any topic — leave requests, safety reports, shift swaps, employee suggestions. Then, make these forms available via your organization’s primary communication platform.

Bulletin board

If you don’t have a mobile-friendly digital tool that frontline employees can access easily, paper notices may still form a key part of your communication channel strategy.

You may be sharing messages on the bulletin board or via digital signage. We know of transit companies where posters were left on every bus driver’s seat. Needs must. But bear in mind that these methods of internal communication have their limitations:

• There’s no interactivity, which means low levels of engagement
• You can’t be sure that employees are seeing and reading your messages
• Information quickly becomes outdated and irrelevant if older notices aren’t reliably taken down

If frontline and office-based staff are getting their information from different sources, you also run the risk of misalignment and misunderstandings.

Internal videos

Internal videos are another useful communication channel when you want to explain complex concepts. They’re also great for humanizing your leaders and improving workplace trust.

While videos don’t support two-way communication, the combination of audio and visuals catches an audience’s attention, making them good for engagement and knowledge retention.

And — for a more interactive experience — you can use live streaming tools, which allow employees to send reactions and comments during your video event.

Email

Email continues to be a popular channel of internal communication for desk-based workers. It’s a way for coworkers to collaborate with one another — and for leaders to send company-wide updates.

But frontline employees don’t always have a company email address or easy access to their emails during work hours. And even for desk-based employees, email has its drawbacks.

It’s asynchronous and doesn’t support real-time communication. It’s primarily text-based so doesn’t offer great levels of engagement. It’s also easy for workers to become overwhelmed by the number of emails in their inbox.

Recognition platforms

{{mobile-recognition-post="/image"}}

‍

Recognition tools and platforms are an internal communication channel designed to improve employee morale and motivation.

These tools make it easy for managers and coworkers to recognize employee achievements. Some platforms allow managers to assign points, which employees can spend on real-life rewards.

While an increasingly popular part of the channel mix, recognition platforms are unlikely to provide you with all the tools you need for effective workplace communication. So you need to integrate them with your primary communication tools — or find a platform with recognition features built-in.

Video conferencing

When employees can’t meet face-to-face, a video meeting is an excellent alternative. Linking workers across locations and time zones, this is another popular communication channel for desk-based teams.

However, as with email, you can have too much of a good thing. A high volume of video meetings can cause stress and fatigue. And this format isn’t great for frontline workers, whose work environments and patterns aren’t suited to a scheduled video call.

A modern intranet

The traditional intranet has a bad reputation because it fails to meet the communication needs of today’s organizations. A modern intranet is a whole new ballgame.  

The best modern intranet platforms combine many of the internal comms channels listed above. They incorporate a company news feed, content hub, instant messaging, recognition tools, and surveys.

For everything else, there are handy integrations. Employees can access all workplace software from the same user-friendly interface, preventing tech tool overwhelm.

With in-built analytics and a consumer-grade user experience, the modern intranet is an all-in-one solution for internal communications, HR processes, and employee engagement.

An employee app

Like the modern intranet, an employee app combines many of the comms channels above — and provides deep integrations for the other tech tools your teams use.

The key point of difference here is mobile accessibility. An employee app is available on every employee smartphone. Your teams don’t need a company email address to access the app and single sign-on capabilities give them secure access to all workplace tools, with just one set of login details.  

The employee app is a particularly useful internal communication channel for a frontline workforce. They can access your comms — and contribute to the company conversation — at a time, at a place, and with a device that suits them.

Creating the right mix of employee communication channels for your organization

Looking through the channels of internal communication above, you may feel spoilt for choice. There are lots of excellent ways to share messages and facilitate connection across your organization.

When deciding which channels best support your internal communication goals, consider these two key principles:

• Employee input is essential. You achieve more with your communication channels when you have employee buy-in. Find out what employees want from your channel mix to figure out which of the above tools deserves a place within it.
  
  
• Less is often more. Create more communication channels without a clear strategy and you’re likely to overwhelm employees. So aim to streamline communication channels into a single internal communications tool, accessible to your entire workforce.  

With the right combination of communication channels, you’ll find it easy to share essential information, create an inclusive company culture, and improve employee engagement — without adding unnecessary noise.

Blink. And streamline internal communications channels with an all-in-one comms and engagement solution.

Employee engagement in retail requires more than a staff discount

Sure, that discount code is a great perk. But on its own, it’s not enough to keep your retail team engaged long-term.

Retail work is fast-paced, seasonal, and demanding — and staff don’t tend to stick around for long. Currently, the retail staff turnover rate is hovering around 60%.

These realities make retail employee engagement tricky — but also crucial.  When teams are engaged, they’re more productive, more efficient, and more likely to stay working for your store.

They also provide a better service to customers. Companies with the best employee experience (EX) are more than twice as likely to achieve a top customer experience (CX).

So how do you engage retail staff — from team stalwarts to seasonal staff? Here, we look at what retail managers can do to inspire the loyalty and motivation of their teams. 

Why is retail engagement so hard? Understanding retail team dynamics

First, what are retail managers up against? Retail teams don’t operate like office teams. They face a set of unique engagement challenges:

Part-time and seasonal staff. Store staff come and go. Managers spend a lot of time getting new hires up to speed — and retail employees don’t always know their coworkers well.

Changing shift schedules. Employees can go weeks without seeing some team members, simply because their shifts never line up. So building a sense of teamwork and community isn’t easy.

Varying digital access. Many stores still use outdated word-of-mouth and paper processes. Staff don’t always have access to the digital platforms and communication channels they need.

The head-office gap. In many retail chains, there’s a disconnect between those making the decisions and those on the shop floor. Messages get lost or delayed. Employee insights are overlooked. Initiatives feel irrelevant because the context isn’t always clear.

In short, retail engagement — like most frontline employee engagement — is tough. But crack it, and you keep staff motivated, connected, and delivering their best.  

{{mobile-main="/image"}}

The core pillars of employee engagement in retail

So what moves the needle for employee engagement in the retail industry? Here’s what your team is looking for.

Accessible tools

If internal communications only live on a traditional company intranet platform, retail employees aren’t being kept in the loop — especially if that intranet is only accessible via desktop. Retail staff need mobile-first internal communication tools with a fast, frictionless user experience.

Look for internal communication software where employees can access workplace resources, instant messaging with coworkers, and company policies — all from the same user-friendly custom dashboard.

Relevant and bite-sized updates

Retail employees don’t have time to wade through a wordy email or a multi-page PDF. They’re serving customers, restocking shelves, and juggling a dozen different priorities. So employee communications need to be short, visual, and easy to digest. Think quick videos, infographics, and bullet-point news feed posts. The faster someone can read and act on a message, the better.

Recognition and celebration

From hitting sales goals to nailing a tricky customer request to earning glowing customer feedback — employees deserve recognition for their wins. Employee recognition doesn’t have to be big or expensive. It just has to be genuine. A public thank you in the team chat, a mention in the morning huddle, or a Story celebrating a shift’s success can lift morale and encourage other employees to bring their A-game.

Well-being support

Retail work is demanding — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Employees spend long hours on their feet. They have to cope with huge spikes in demand during busy seasons. They’re also — sadly — subjected to high levels of customer abuse. To ensure employee engagement in the retail sector, staff need well-being support, stress-busting resources, and a corporate culture that respects work-life balance.

Meaningful work

Frontline retail employees who feel connected to their company’s mission are 76% more likely to stay and more likely to put in discretionary effort, too. When they see how their work shapes customer experiences, store success, and company goals — and get a say in decisions that affect their day-to-day — effort and commitment increase.

{{engaging-seasonal-workers-with-impactful-internal-comms="/callouts"}}

The manager’s role in retail employee engagement

Retail managers matter. In fact, research shows that managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. That’s huge.

You set the pace, tone, and culture of your store — and your actions have a direct impact on how connected and valued your team feels.

While you may have to get head office approval for some engagement initiatives, there’s plenty you can do right now to engage your retail workforce. Let’s take a look.

11 practical ways to motivate retail staff

Spending your days managing frontline employees? Then here’s what you can do to improve employee engagement and get more from your retail team.

#1. Lead by example in digital workspaces

If you want your team to show up on your digital tools, you have to do the same. So comment on employee posts. Respond to that company-wide poll. Be active in the team chat. When your team sees you using digital channels, they’re much more likely to join in.

#2. Keep your team up-to-date

Improve internal communication and you improve employee engagement. So commit to a regular schedule of team-specific comms. Whether it’s a new promotion, a new hire, or the latest sales stats, keep employees in the loop through push notifications, using channels that everyone can access. That way, no one has to rely on the grapevine for essential updates.

#3. Encourage peer-to-peer communication

Coworker connection helps to create a sense of belonging. But some retail staff might never work the same shifts. You can build stronger team relationships by encouraging group chat on digital channels. Pose questions. Ask for input. Get conversations started. In doing so, you facilitate the sharing of knowledge and workplace hacks — and help employees feel part of your store community.   

#4. Say thank you

Engagement thrives when you show appreciation for employees. And recognition doesn’t have to be extravagant — a public thank-you in your team feed, a quick shout-out in the morning huddle, or a Story celebrating a team win can make a big impact. If you want to boost employee morale, the key is to be specific, so recognition feels genuine.

#5. Act on feedback promptly

Whether it’s a broken fitting room light, a problem with the cash register, or an employee’s ideas for your new store promo, showing you listen and act on employee feedback quickly builds trust. Make sure every employee has a way to share their ideas, concerns, and frustrations — via employee surveys, polls, or a regular 1-to-1 meeting. Then, close the feedback loop by letting them know what’s being done.

{{mobile-survey="/image"}}

#6. Provide training and development opportunities

Your best employees are the ones who want to grow and learn. And if they don’t get training and development opportunities with your company, they’re likely to hit the job boards. So offer shadowing opportunities, targeted training, and stretch assignments — and make sure they know about career paths available within your retail organization.

#7. Connect the dots

Help your team see how their work impacts the business, the customer, and even the local community. Connect daily goals to larger company objectives — with the help of customer stories, business updates, and store performance stats — so employees feel part of something bigger.

#8. Facilitate shift swaps

Making shift swaps simple and fair helps employees take control over their schedules. If your company offers a self-service shift swap app, lean into it. This is the easiest way to reduce your workload and help employees manage their work-life balance. No fancy system? You can still make swaps straightforward by posting the weekly schedule, in advance, in the break room — and by establishing a clear system for swap requests.

#9. Run well-being check-ins

Do you know how your team’s doing? This is where instant messaging and video conferencing for mobile access makes a difference. Take 60 seconds to ask how they’re feeling before diving into KPIs or tasks for the day. A genuine check-in can make an employee feel seen and valued. Plus, their responses can give you valuable insight into how to improve employee engagement in your retail store.

#10. Set mini challenges 

Create a spot of friendly competition to drive team collaboration and inject energy into slow shifts. You can set targets for speedy restocking, positive customer feedback, or product knowledge. Then offer rewards. These can be as simple as picking the music for the next shift or a favorite snack from the local café. Done right, challenges can boost workplace engagement and help your team hit business goals.

#11. Keep track of engagement metrics

It’s hard to improve what you can’t measure. Whether it’s mandated from HQ or not, it pays to understand and track employee engagement KPIs with a dedicated analytics tool. Look at metrics like absenteeism, staff turnover, and employee net promoter score (eNPS) — if possible, broken down by employee segmentation — to understand how your actions are impacting team engagement over time and to find new ways to boost morale.

{{mobile-shifts="/image"}}

From stockroom to shop floor, retail engagement that drives results

An engaged store is a productive store — and it all starts with the manager. When managers understand the importance of employee engagement in retail — and how to inspire it — teams are happier, more loyal, and deliver better customer experiences.

There are plenty of employee engagement activities you can put into practice in your store. From wellbeing checks to shift swap tools to regular company updates. But the right retail employee engagement and retention tools makes connecting and motivating your team a lot easier.

An employee app like Blink — designed for frontline employees — puts recognition, real-time feedback, scheduling, and comms in one central hub. Retail employees can access the Blink dashboard from their smartphones. So it’s easy to connect workers across shifts, bring seasonal workers into the fold, and make everyone feel part of company culture.

Our retail partners, including McDonald’s and Domino’s, are already seeing the difference that digital-first comms strategy can make. Will you be next?

‍Blink. And turn your stores into places your people love to work.

Gen Z. Digital natives. Zoomers.

Whatever you want to call them, they’re making waves in the workplace.

This cohort of employees, born between 1997 and 2012, now makes up 18% of the workforce. And by 2030 — as more Boomers and Gen Xers retire — that figure is expected to rise to 30%.

When it comes to engaging Gen Z at work, it’s not a case of business as usual. Zoomers, some of whom have been working for a decade now, are bringing fresh energy — and expectations — to the workplace. And internal communications is one area where this shift is becoming increasingly evident.  

Gen Z prefers mobile-first, fast-moving, and highly visual employee communications. They value transparency and authenticity, which means traditional, top-down communications will feel increasingly dated and ineffective.

So how do you get Gen Z to take notice of your internal communications? You learn to speak their language.

Here’s how to craft effective communication that is sure to inspire the interest and loyalty of your Zoomer workforce.

{{trending-how-to-make-internal-comms-go-viral-with-gen-z="/callouts"}}

Understanding Gen Z’s digital DNA

Start by getting to know the communication habits and preferences of your Gen Z employees.

Zoomers are digital natives, used to frequently switching between devices and platforms. They tend to look for answers online first — before they send an email or talk to a coworker face-to-face.

This generation also grew up in the era of social media, where communication is instant, interactive, and highly visual. They’ve known nothing else.

So long-winded emails and PDFs don’t just fall flat — they tend to get ignored. Zoomers expect short-form, snackable content that gets straight to the point. And they like having the opportunity to add their voices to the conversation, too.

Authenticity, inclusivity, and relatability are other Gen Z communication must-haves for your internal communications strategy. Corporate-speak and overly polished messaging simply don’t resonate. Zoomers are more likely to believe in your messaging when it acknowledges challenges and complexities, not just successes.

Key takeaway: Internal communication efforts should be concise, visual, and real to match Gen Z’s digital communication style.

{{mobile-live-stream-poll="/image"}}

Crafting messages that stick

Once you’ve gotten to grips with what Gen Z expects from your internal communications plan, it’s time to create messages that grab their attention and stick in their memory. To do that, get creative and try to include at least one of these guiding internal comms principles in your messages.

Tell a story

Stories spark an emotional connection between your organization and employees. They highlight real people and create a positive culture. And they take an audience on a journey — usually from a problem or conflict toward a resolution.

So use real employee experiences, personal anecdotes, customer stories, and behind-the-scenes content to make your messages more engaging for Gen Z workers.

Make it visual

Traditionally, internal communications have been text-based. But that isn’t how Zoomers like to get their information. Incorporate GIFs, emojis, memes, and videos to catch the eye and cut through the noise of internal comms.

With these visual assets, you say more with less, which leans into Gen Z’s preference for concise and straight-to-the-point messaging.

Use humor and personality

Gen Z appreciates informality and wit. So don’t be afraid to show some humor and personality in your employee communications. It’s a way to humanize your brand voice and make messaging more relatable.

Just be sure to strike the right balance: Keep humor inclusive, relevant, and aligned with your company culture. And, of course, when addressing serious or sensitive topics, it’s best to avoid humor altogether.

Leverage interactivity

Posting creative, eye-catching content isn’t enough. Interactivity is another important part of the picture. Polls, quizzes, and reaction buttons ensure high levels of employee engagement and facilitate conversations with two-way communications.

But you can take it even further. By responding to comments and acting upon employee feedback, you show that business leaders genuinely care about the employee experience — helping you foster an even more engaged workforce.

Key takeaway: Think social media, not corporate memo. Make your messages fun and visual — and encourage employee participation, too.

{{mobile-stories="/image"}}

Borrowing from social media

Love it or loathe it, social media should be your main inspiration for your internal communication strategy in 2025. Digital platforms like TikTok and Instagram are expert at generating engagement and keeping users coming back for more. And they set the standard for how Gen Z consumes content.

So play by the social media rule book, creating fast, visual, and interactive content that wouldn’t look out of place on your employees’ favorite feed. To do that, incorporate the following.

User-generated content (UGC)

For the ultimate in authenticity, encourage employees to create and share their own workplace stories. Facilitate peer communication and recognition posts. Launch a content challenge where employees share content around a particular theme. Encourage employees to film their own day-in-the-life videos.

There are so many options to incorporate UGC into your internal communications strategy — you just need to guide employee content creators in the right direction.

Mobile-first design

Where do Gen Z turn first when they’re seeking information and connection? You guessed it. Their smartphones. Your internal communication platform should mimic the accessibility and ease of use of mobile social media apps. And the mobile experience should match the experience employees are getting on desktop. This ensures that office-based staff, remote workers, and frontline employees get the same seamless user experience.

Ephemeral content

Limited-time posts — like the ones you get on Instagram Stories and Snapchat Snaps — drive authenticity. Because when a post is here today and gone tomorrow, there’s no need for it to be perfect. Ephemeral content also boosts internal comms engagement because it produces a sense of urgency. Employees check in with your platform regularly for fear of missing out. 

Algorithm-style recommendations

Think back to the last time you scrolled social media. Chances are you saw a news feed filled with content from your favorite people and about your favorite topics. Gen Z employees are used to getting tailored experiences like these. So your internal communications tools should be capable of personalization. When employees see messages that relate directly to them, their roles, location, and interests, they’re more likely to take notice.

Key takeaway: Take inspiration from social media to draw Gen Z employees to your internal communication channels — and keep them there.

{{mobile-main="/image"}}

Turning employees into influencers

Research shows that Gen Z tends toward being skeptical and mistrustful — particularly when it comes to traditional authority figures. In the workplace, they’re more likely to trust their peers over corporate messaging. 

Harness the power of peer trust by turning employees into internal comms influencers. Look at your internal communication channels to identify internal content creators who naturally engage their colleagues. Then, give them the time and resources they need to share internal messages.

Over the long term, these influencers can become trusted voices on your intranet or employee app and play a critical role in your company culture.

Key takeaway: Empower employees to be the voice of your internal communications — because Gen Z is more likely to engage with their peers than the C-suite.

Avoiding the “cringe factor”

Like seeing their dad break out his best dance moves at a wedding, “cringey” content will have Gen Z employees backing away from the internal comms dance floor.

Forced trends, outdated slang, and overuse of emojis or GIFs won’t win Zoomers over. They can spot inauthenticity from a mile away. Corporate messaging that tries too hard to be “cool” without understanding the cultural context will likely backfire.

Before jumping on a viral meme or social media trend, ask yourself:

• Does this align with our brand voice and company values?
• Does it make sense in the context of the message?
• Will our employees actually find it relevant and engaging?

If you answer no to any of these questions, let it go.

And — instead of imitating Gen Z’s language or recycling viral posts — focus on what makes their favorite content work. Adopt the principles behind trending content, making your messages short, dynamic, and community-driven, and your content is much more likely to resonate.

Key takeaway: Put your twist on it. Avoid the “cringe factor” by keeping your brand voice and company values front of mind.

{{mobile-story-polls="/image"}}

Keeping up with trends

Staying relevant doesn’t mean blindly chasing every online trend — but it does mean keeping an eye on how communication is evolving beyond your internal communication platform.

Social media trends shift rapidly. And internal communications teams need an agile approach to stay relevant. Here’s how:

• Take stock: Regularly audit content formats and messaging styles to ensure they align with Gen Z’s preferences away from work. Use analytics to gain valuable insights about which content formats and messaging styles are resonating most with your target audience.

• Experiment: Stay creative. Test new content formats with a small group of employees before rolling them out to a wider audience. Gather feedback from employees, measure engagement, and update your strategy as required.

• Assess your tech: Regularly assess whether your internal communication tools are up to the task. Your  internal communications app should mirror the social media experience, offering similar features and functionality. Because, if your platform feels outdated, employee engagement will suffer.

Key takeaway: Keep testing, iterating, and adapting — because Gen Z communication platforms and preferences evolve at lightning speed.

Can your internal communications plan keep up with Gen Z?

Gen Z is reshaping modern workplace communication, demanding fast, interactive, and authentic messaging — delivered straight to their smartphones.

By embracing social media-inspired strategies, fostering two-way interaction, and adopting the trends that align with what your entire organization cares about most, you can design an internal comms strategy that truly speaks their language and build a strong culture of transparency.

And the best part? These changes don’t just benefit Zoomers. In a world where more and more people expect information to be concise, engaging, and mobile-friendly, this style of communication improves the experience for every generation in your workforce.

‍Blink. And craft an internal communication strategy that works for everyone.

Frontline workers make up 80% of the global workforce. They play an extremely vital role in many industries across the globe.

But 60% of frontline employees say they’re unhappy with the technology they use at work.

Unfortunately, this stat makes perfect sense. Workplace tech has traditionally been built with office-based workers in mind. So it tends to fall short for the frontline.  

Some companies still use a traditional intranet. And others use a patchwork of different HR and IT apps. These tools may work well for desk-based employees. But they cause three common problems for frontline workers:

• Limited access to tech. Frontline employees don’t have regular access to a computer and don’t always have a company email address. This means they rely on noticeboards, personal apps, and/or shared company computers to access the information and tools they need.
  
  
• Access to poor quality tech. Frontline employees have access to a system that does some things, but not others. They can access tech tools via a mobile device but features are limited and the user experience is lacking
  
  
• Access to too much tech. When employees use lots of different apps via lots of different interfaces, it creates as many problems as it solves. This piecemeal approach can cause friction and tech tool disengagement

Frontline organizations need streamlined tech that works for every employee. As Ian Gordon, former President of Administrative Operations at Elara Caring, said in an interview:

“Being a frontline worker can feel like you’re on an island by yourself, and the solutions that you need must be quicker and more succinct. You can’t spend a lot of time signing in and navigating. You need to get to your answer now.”

Currently, deskless workers waste time and productivity on tasks that could be streamlined. For example, finding their training documents, communicating with managers, or simply tracking down last month’s pay stub.

Thankfully, there’s a solution. A modern intranet takes into account the realities of today’s distributed workforce. It’s a mobile-first tool that provides the same seamless digital experience for both frontline and desk-based employees.

Here, we explore how the right type of technology can benefit your frontline employees and your organization. We also reveal the three features you should be looking for when choosing frontline tech.

‍

Benefits of a modern intranet for frontline employees

When your frontline has access to the right tech, everyone stands to gain. Let’s take a look at the benefits – for your organization and employees – of a mobile-first employee app.

Higher levels of productivity

When frontline employees don’t have the right tech, they waste a lot of time on tasks that could be streamlined.

They have to call their manager on the phone when they want to change shifts.

They have to use the shared computer on their lunch break to respond to a company survey.

They have to leaf through a paper handbook to find an answer to their question.  

A modern intranet helps frontline employees complete tasks quickly and easily. This means productivity for your organization improves. 

Streamlined workflows

A modern intranet helps streamline the workflow of every employee in your organization, not just those on the frontline.

That’s because frontline employees can use self-serve functions. They can view their pay stubs, launch an assigned L&D module, and request time off. Employees can book shifts and report faults or accidents. They can also chat with their managers via messaging features.

This helps to streamline the work of your frontline workers. But it also helps HR teams and frontline managers. They get fewer queries and fewer phone calls because frontline employees can achieve so much more using the right tech tool - removing the barrier to access and allowing your HR teams and managers to focus on the work they are meant to be doing. 

Tech tool efficiency

The best modern intranets integrate with the software you already use for your business. It's not about adding another tool to your tech stack to be siloed, but increasing access to all of the other tools you already rely on. So employees can access all tech tools from the same, familiar interface.

When workplace tools are intuitive and easy to access, employees spend a lot less time looking for the resources they need. They also spend less time trying to remember different login details. A single click, a single password, and they’re in.

Learning and development

A modern intranet or employee app makes it easy for employees to access vital resources. Like workplace policies, guides, and training materials.

This means new hires get up-to-speed quickly. They can access all onboarding materials via their smartphone. Existing employees also find it easy to weave L&D into their usual workflow.

With access to resources that help them work smarter, not harder, employees become more effective and productive in their roles. 

Improved internal communication

Good internal communication is the backbone of any organization.

Without it, trust in leadership suffers. And with it, engagement and loyalty increases. Employees in organizations with effective communication feel more connected to their jobs. 

But we know that frontline teams usually don’t enjoy the same level of communication and connection as their desk-based co-workers. 

Frontline employees tend to spend very little time at HQ and often spend their days working alone. So they risk missing out on: 

• Vital company updates
• Co-worker collaboration
• Recognition from managers
• Opportunities to make their voice heard

The right tech helps to bridge the gap. It improves employee communication by connecting frontline workers to their co-workers, head office, and company culture.

Real-time communication

Information is often outdated by the time it reaches frontline employees. It’s hard to spot memos on a crowded noticeboard, and it’s easy to miss an important update in a long thread of messages. 

The best modern intranets solve this problem by supporting real-time communication.

Employees can use newsfeed, group chat, and 1-2-1 chat functions to get up-to-the-minute information.

Managers can send smartphone notifications to highlight vital updates. They can post a video of today’s company standup. They can also create and pin mandatory messages to the company newsfeed, ensuring that essential information cuts through. 

With access to relevant, timely information like this, employees make better decisions and solve problems more quickly.

Two-way communication

Top-down communication is useful for establishing company culture and sharing updates. But for truly effective internal communication, information needs to move in all directions.

Modern intranets support peer-to-peer connection. Co-workers can interact via the newsfeed or chat functions. They can recognize a peer’s hard work. Or wish their work bestie a happy birthday.

The intranet also supports bottom-up communication. With a newsfeed, direct messaging, and company-wide surveys, you give frontline employees a voice.

This makes a positive difference to the employee experience. Employees who say their voice is heard at work are 4.6x more likely to give their all.

Collaboration

Imagine a frontline care worker has come across a great article about elderly care. How does that person share their new insight with other frontline workers in other locations?

Perhaps they’ll mention the article to the co-workers they physically cross paths with. Or send a link to the small group of people in their work WhatsApp chat. 

But you really amplify the reach and impact when that care worker can post the article to the company employee app.

The right tech tools allow frontline teams to share the knowledge they gain when they’re out in the field. They can share best practices and collaborate with other employees, even though they’re not based in the same office environment.

Empowerment and engagement

When employees feel empowered and engaged at work, they’re happier and more productive. They provide better customer service and produce better results. They’re also less likely to look for a job elsewhere.

Employee engagement relies on strong employee communication, development opportunities, recognition – and the right tech.

The wrong tech can be a big drain on employee engagement. When workers use slow, inefficient, and ineffective digital tools, it adds friction and frustration to their work day. So implementing a modern intranet can help with all the following. 

Empowering employees

With a company super-app at their fingertips, frontline employees are empowered to make informed decisions and take a proactive approach to their work.

Thanks to user-friendly employee communication channels, they can report safety or equipment issues. They can share their knowledge. And they can access company resources exactly when they need them.

A modern intranet also empowers employees to progress in their careers. 70% of frontline workers are interested in career progression opportunities. But they don’t always get the resources or support they need.

Via an employee app, you can give frontline workers easy access to L&D information, new job opportunities, and any available employee development activities. 

Engaging employees

The right frontline tech helps you to improve employee engagement. It allows employees to engage with co-workers and company culture. And it mirrors the experience provided by employees’ favorite social media apps.

A newsfeed. Likes, comments, and shares. Pulse surveys. Digital 1-2-1s. A searchable company library. A modern intranet with a user-friendly interface creates an experience that employees are excited to use and keep using.

The best frontline tech also offers personalization, another thing that helps to level up engagement. Employees can switch up their dashboards to put their preferred features first. Or prioritize their newsfeed to focus on posts that are most relevant to them. 

Retention and attraction

Frontline teams experience high levels of churn. A McKinsey study found that 45% of frontline workers planned to leave their jobs within the following 3 to 6 months.

Workplace technology is an important part of the puzzle. 78% of deskless workers say they consider the technology at a company when deciding whether to take a job there.

When you equip frontline workers with the right tech, you show your employees that you value them and care about their experience.

You also provide communication channels that support a better employee experience. You allow employees to give feedback and build stronger relationships with co-workers. This makes it easier to hold onto existing staff – and to attract new talent too.

Choosing the right tech for frontline employees

Some tech solutions – like the traditional intranet – don’t fit the realities of frontline work. So what should you be looking for when choosing tech for frontline employees?

The best frontline tech:

• is a one-stop-shop
• offers an intuitive user experience
• has a mobile-first design

Let’s look at these features in a little more detail.

It’s a one-stop-shop

Currently, many organizations are at risk of app overload. 37% of frontline workers use five or more apps every day. But 39% say that apps aren’t actually helping them in their work.

A patchwork of workplace tools means workers have to learn different interfaces and remember lots of passwords. Tech complicates their workflow instead of simplifying it.

The best modern intranet brings together all the software you use. It acts as a digital front door for your organization.

Behind this door, employees find everything they need to do their jobs. Tools for communication, operations, training, shifts, collaboration, and HR. It’s all available via one interface and a single login.

Tech that acts as a one-stop-shop reduces friction in frontline employee workflow. It also drives adoption for your existing tools, improving the ROI on the software you’re already paying for.

Supercharge your frontline with an employee super-app

It provides an intuitive user experience

Investing in the best frontline tech is pointless if you can’t persuade employees to use it. So you need tech solutions that can prove high usage and adoption rates.   

Bear in mind that 56% of deskless workers are using personal tech tools instead of workplace tools. As well as posing security risks, this illustrates a really important point when choosing frontline tech.

Your chosen solution has to compete with the user experience (UX) provided by the most popular social media platforms. So you need tools that offer an intuitive, friction-free UX.

These intuitive tools don’t have a steep learning curve. Instead – because they’re so similar to the apps your employees already use out of work – employees can pick them up and start using them with next to no training.

Because they’re so easy to use, these apps provide clear employee benefits from the get-go. This helps to drive organic app adoption and ensures a higher proportion of your workforce downloads and uses your intranet.

It’s a mobile-first solution

Frontline workers don’t sit at a desk. They don’t always have a company email address, let alone a company computer. Therefore, any workplace tech you choose must be available via a mobile device.

The best solutions have a mobile-first design. They’re not tools designed for desktop with an app added as an afterthought. Instead, they offer the same great features and user experience on a smartphone as they do on other devices.

This allows frontline team members to stay up-to-date with company news, book time off, or look at their shift schedule while they do their daily work. They can access workplace tools from any location, at any time.

Blink: an employee app for frontline workers

The Blink employee app is a modern intranet for a modern frontline workforce. Our app acts as the digital front door for your organization. 

It provides access to the tools and systems your entire workforce needs day to day. And it integrates seamlessly with the software you already use. So employees can access all workplace software using one secure single sign-on (SSO).

As a mobile-first solution, Blink provides the same great user experience on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. Frontline workers have exactly the same access as their desk-based peers to company culture, co-worker connection, and workplace resources. 

If you’re looking to improve the frontline employee experience, connect your workforce, and increase productivity, frontline tech is a great place to start. 

Book a Blink demo. Or discover how Blink works for people teams by reading our recent article: Transforming HR teams with the help of a frontline app.

Let’s create digital experiences your people will actually enjoy

It takes seven clicks to find your schedule. The training video won’t load on mobile. Your last question to HR? Still sitting in an unread inbox. Welcome to your Monday.

Now flip that:

You open one app. Your schedule’s there. So is your manager’s announcement. You give quick feedback on your shift — and get a response before lunch.

That’s the difference good digital design makes.

In 2025, the user experience employees have with workplace tech is the employee experience.

We use communication tools to message teammates, take training, request time off, and recognize each other. When those tools work well, they reduce friction and boost morale. When they don’t, it shows — in employee engagement, retention, and productivity.

This is why digital design deserves a seat at the employee experience strategy table.

What is employee experience design, anyway?

Employee experience (EX) design means applying a thoughtful, human-first design approach to every moment that shapes someone’s experience at work — physical, digital, and cultural.

That includes onboarding and learning, the work environment, feedback loops, employee recognition, collaboration tools and technologies, and even how values show up day to day.

Think of it like UX — but for your people.

At each moment in the employee journey, ask:

• Who’s the end user here? A new hire? A frontline shift worker? An overwhelmed manager?
• Where does this moment fit in the bigger picture? Is it part of onboarding, communication, or recognition?
• What are they feeling — and what do they need right now? Confidence? Clarity? Connection?
• How can we make this interaction seamless and satisfying? Whether it’s tech, a conversation, or a checklist.
• And how will we know it’s working? What data or feedback loops will tell us?

The goal isn’t just to “optimize” moments — it’s to make them feel intuitive, personal, and friction-free.

By carefully crafting experiences, both big and small, you help your people feel valued and give employee satisfaction a boost.

And because tech tools are a huge part of today’s workplace experience, digital employee experience (DEX) design forms a big part of the picture.

{{mobile-onboarding="/image"}}

What good EX feels like: 5 signs you’re doing it right

When we’re talking about tech tools, good EX looks something like this.

Effortless

People find what they need fast. There’s no need to dig through resources or ping the IT team for help. Systems are designed to be intuitive and free from points of friction.

‍Example: A restaurant worker views their upcoming shift schedule via a dashboard on the employee app. They don’t have to message their line managers or co-workers to get the latest info.

Personal

Content and tools are personalized to each employee. Employees enjoy experiences that are tailored to their roles, locations, and interests.

Example: Your HR department lead sees a dashboard built for their role, with shortcuts to key tools, relevant company news, and the latest workforce insights.

Connected

Everyone feels part of the same conversation and nobody feels left out. All employees have equitable access to company tech tools.

‍Example: A warehouse employee doesn’t need to use a communal computer in the break room. Thanks to a mobile-first platform, they can access resources and catch up on company news using their smartphone.

Dependable

Resources are always relevant and up-to-date. Messages are consistent. Tech tools have all the functionality employees need.

Example: Employees use a streamlined selection of tech tools — so messages and experiences are consistent across every touchpoint.

Empowering

Employees can take action, voice opinions through easy feedback channels, or get support in just a couple of clicks.

Example: A retail worker submits feedback via their smartphone, then views updates on workplace improvements over on the company news feed. 

{{mobile-community="/image"}}

Barriers to good EX — where it breaks down

So now we know what good EX looks like, time to find out why many organizations struggle to turn their EX ambitions into a reality as part of their digital transformation. Here’s a roundup of the usual suspects.

A fragmented tech stack

“Which tool do we use for that, again?”

A cluttered and disconnected tech stack is overwhelming for employees. They spend their time switching between tabs. They struggle to remember which app performs which task. And that’s before we even get started on all those login details.

If your tech tools aren’t working together, smoothly and efficiently, you’re creating a scattered (and suboptimal) experience for employees.

Over-reliance on email or manager cascade

Email isn’t the best communication channel for every employee. Frontline workers, for example, are unlikely to check their inbox during the work day.

Putting managers in charge of relaying key messages is no better. It’s a sure fire route to an overstretched management team — and inconsistent messaging.

These methods of workplace communication don’t fit the world of fast-paced, modern work we now operate in. And they do nothing for EX.

Top-down comms that don’t invite feedback or interaction

If employees can’t respond, react, chat, or ask questions, you’re not communicating — you’re broadcasting. And this kills employee engagement.

You need tools that allow employee communications to move in all directions, with an interactive news feed, surveys, digital forms, and instant messaging functions.

Intranets that miss the mark

The company intranet is still the backbone of digital employee experience in many organizations. But legacy intranets are often clunky and outdated — and a real drain on EX.

Unless your intranet platform meets the needs of a tech-savvy and highly connected workforce, it’s falling short. You need a modern social intranet that provides an engaging, consumer-grade experience for employees.

Frontline employees excluded at key moments

Are your frontline workers always the last to know company news? And the least likely to use workplace tech?

You can’t make big improvements to EX unless you take the whole organization with you. That includes those hard-to-reach employees working on the frontline of your business.

For that, you need mobile-first tools that provide the same features and functionality across both mobile and desktop versions.

{{mobile-stories="/image"}}

Designing digital experiences your workforce will love

Digital employee experience in need of a reboot? Then here are a couple of guiding principles to bear in mind.

Build with empathy

Of course, the best tech tools support operational efficiency and productivity. But to achieve good EX, you need to move beyond business goals to really empathize with your end users.

That starts with an EX audit. Learn how employees are feeling at each digital and in-person interaction and find out how you can make their journey as smooth and stress-free as possible.

To get reliable data, speak to employees — run focus groups, conduct interviews, and embark on listening tours. Seek employee feedback on touchpoints throughout the working day and the employee life cycle.

Design together

When it comes to employee experience management, a cross-functional team works best. To create a joined up employee experience — and an integrated selection of tech tools — you need stakeholders working together.

The C-suite, HR, internal communications, IT, operations, frontline, and office-based employees should all get a say in what the digital employee experience will look like.

Map user journeys

Frontline employees vs. office-based staff. Hourly vs. salaried workers. New hires vs. long-time leaders.

Each employee persona has different needs — and your tools should reflect that. Aim to provide personalized experiences for employees in different roles, departments, and locations.

With an employee experience tool like Blink, you can create personalized user journeys, segmenting your workforce so they get a tailored experience across the whole platform. This can lead to a massive uptick in employee engagement — as well as employee retention.

Prioritize mobile-first design

Don’t shrink a desktop tool to fit a smartphone screen. Instead, opt for software that’s been designed with the mobile experience front of mind.

An employee app like Blink makes it easy for you to reach your workforce — who, let’s be honest, already live on their phones. It’s also an excellent way to reach frontline employees.

By taking your tech tools mobile, you create an equitable experience for all employees, no matter where or how they access your software.

Make feedback loops part of the design, not an afterthought

The best experiences evolve with employees. So treat EX as an ongoing exercise in empathy. 

Use data and employee feedback to iterate and improve systems. Continually reassess how employees use your tech tools — and how you can make experiences even better.

To make this process as easy as possible, embed feedback loops into your tech tools. Ask for employee feedback, right within your software. And ensure leaders have access to the data and analytics they need to make meaningful EX improvements.

{{mobile-live-stream-poll="/image"}}

Upgrade EX to get more from your digital tools — and your workforce

The right tech tools don’t just support EX — they help shape it.

They determine whether employees spend their days in a state of friction-free flow. Or whether frustration and stress color the workplace experience.

A modern intranet. An employee app. An internal comms platform. A dedicated employee experience tool. Whichever platforms you’re using, look at them from the employee perspective.

Tailor tools to their needs. Personalize experiences for each employee. Prioritize interaction, feedback, and mobile-first design to elevate and streamline EX.

In doing so, you’ll delight employees, earning their trust and driving engagement, so you get the very best from your workforce.

Blink. And design an employee experience that works for everyone.